Ontario NDP tables motion to declare climate emergency in Ontario

The Ontario NDP has introduced a motion to declare a climate emergency in Ontario.

“Climate change is no longer only about our climate future. It is an imminent emergency. It is happening now,” said Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath.

“Ontarians are already witnessing the devastating consequences of climate change first hand. We have seen this in Bracebridge, Ottawa, and in the southwest where there has been significant flooding. We have seen this in tornadoes in eastern Ontario. We have seen this in wild fires in recent years. We need to take immediate and decisive action to tackle climate change.”

Research shows that the window for staving off the worst of effects of climate change is rapidly closing, and projections show that the cost of doing nothing is much greater than the cost of taking action. Passing the climate emergency motion is an opportunity for Doug Ford to reverse course and join the millions of Ontarians committed to fighting climate change.

“Declaring a climate emergency is an opportunity for Queen’s Park to change direction, and take on the biggest challenge humankind has ever faced,” said Horwath.

Since taking office, Ford has cancelled climate change mitigation programs including Ontario’s participation in the cap and trade market, cancelled conservation programs, scrapped green vehicle rebates, removed electric vehicle charging stations, and eliminated a program to plant 50 million trees – but it’s not too late to change course, and prioritize the fight against climate change, said Horwath.

Ontario would be the first Canadian province or territory to declare a climate emergency if the NDP motion passes. Several cities in Ontario and throughout the province have declared a climate emergency.

2 comments

Yes, thank you Andrea Horwath. It is an emergency. I am concerned, I am especially concerned that the rest of the world will be doing everything humanly possible to combat this crisis and Ontario will be doing nothing I think that it is extremely important for the government to declare the climate emergency and do everything possible to neutralize it. We need to stop destroying our planet and we need to undo the damage as much as we possibly can. We need the government to lead the way, because without a leader to take us through this crisis and find solutions, then the general population does not take heed and ignores the crisis. And only, when their basements get flooded, or their houses burn down or get ripped apart by a tornado or a hurricane, or someone they know gets hurt from heat exhaustion, that’s the only time, generally, that people sit up and take notice and do something. So, we need a strong government that will put everything else on the back burner and get moving on our most dire emergency that is upon us, now, a leader. Thank you again.

We are so happy that MPP Andrea Horwath will declare a climate emergency. It is absolutely necessary. Ford’s PCs are cutting so many serious aspects for our Environment: Trees, Wildlife including Endangered Species, our farmland, our green spaces and our Ontario Groundwater.